petrochemical

Chemical obtained either directly from cracking (pyrolysis), or indirectly from chemical processing, of petroleum Oil or natural gas. Major petrochemicals are acetylene, benzene, ethane, ethylene, methane, propane, and hydrogen, from which hundreds of other chemicals are derived. These derivatives are used as elastomers, fibers, plasticizers, and solvents, and as feedstock for production of thousands of other products.